| Back to INDEX | The History of St. Anthony’s Church Cody, Wyoming Researched, Written, and Edited by
In 1831, 1835, and 1839, three parties of courageous Flathead Indians risked or gave their lives, traveling to St. Louis to beg Bishop Joseph Rosati, C.M. for the services of a “Black Robe” for their people. In response to their third appearance, Father Pierre DeSmet, S.J., and his guide, Petit Ignace, set out from St. Louis on March 27, 1840, for the Green River Rendezvous, an annual gathering of traders, trappers, and Indians from various Rocky Mountain tribes. On July 5, 1840, Father DeSmet celebrated the first Mass within the borders of the present state of Wyoming, at Daniel near what is now Big Piney. More than twenty-five years elapsed from DeSmet’s first Mass before the first Catholic priest settled in Wyoming, but during those years, Father DeSmet and Jesuit missionaries, passing through the area on their way to and from Indian missions in Montana and Idaho, stopped at Fort Laramie, the first permanent settlement in Wyoming. However, no significant settlements took place in Wyoming until the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1867. Until 1887, Catholic jurisdiction over Wyoming varied; originally it was under the Diocese of St. Louis (1827-1851), next under the Vicar Apostolic of the Indian Territory (1851-1857), then under the Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska (1857-1885), and finally under the Bishop of Omaha (1885-1887). On August 9, 1887, the Wyoming Territory, covering 102,352 square miles, became the Diocese of Cheyenne. Bishop Maurice Burke after his consecration on October 28, 1887, arrived in Cheyenne, and found his new diocese had 4,500 Catholics, mainly living in settlements along or near the railroad, five diocesan priests, one religious priest; eight churches, all except Buffalo, Lander, and St. Stephen’s Indian Mission along the route of the Union Pacific; two parochial schools, in Cheyenne and Laramie; one academy in Cheyenne; one hospital in Laramie; and St. Stephen’s Indian Mission. When Bishop Burke was named Bishop of St. Joseph, Missouri in 1893, Very Rev. Hugh Cummiskey served as administrator until February 24, 1897, when Bishop Thomas Lenihan was consecrated as the second bishop of Cheyenne. When he took office, twelve churches had pastors, four missions had churches, and six new churches were under construction. He guided the diocese from 1896 until his death, December 15, 1901. By that time, the diocese had two new parishes, St. Anthony’s in Casper and St. Patrick’s in Kemmerer, a Catholic population of 6,000, and fifteen diocesan priests and two Jesuits. Bishop James J. Keane became the third bishop of Cheyenne on October 28, 1902. Wyoming’s Big Horn Basin On July 10, 1890, when Wyoming was admitted to the Union as the forty-fourth state, the population of the Big Horn Basin had grown because of cattle ranches established in the area. In 1895, Colonel William “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his partner began Cody Town, near the northeast corner of Cedar Mountain, south of the river above the DeMaris Hot Springs. But in February 1896, another townsite was selected, several miles east of the first Cody Town; the survey began in March and the main street, Sheridan Avenue, was laid out. After August 1896, the new town, known as Cody, was incorporated in 1901. In 1902, two churches were established: the Methodist-Episcopal Church in July and the Episcopal Church in September. During the jurisdiction of Bishop James Keane (1902-1911), the first Catholic Masses were celebrated in the Big Horn Basin. Rev. Peter U. Sasse, the pastor of Holy Name Church in Sheridan, celebrated the first recorded Mass in Cody on February 4, 1903, at the home of Frank and Adelaide Gilmore. The Gilmore’s son, Marcus, was the first child baptized in the Big Horn Basin. In May, Rev. Peter P. Prando, S.J., came to Cody with Bishop Keane. Between that visit in 1903 and 1906, Jesuit priests from St. Francis Xavier’s Indian Mission on the Crow Reservation in Montana were appointed to attend the Catholics of Cody. According to the Cody Enterprise, June 22, 1905, “A movement has been started by the Catholic residents of Cody to build a place of worship. Several meetings have been held, the building site secured and quite a substantial amount has been collected for the purpose.” The population of Cody in July 1905 was 1,220. Father Thomas Grant, S.J., from St. Xavier’s Mission offered Mass on Sunday morning, August 27, 1905, at the home of John E. Kearns. The Catholic ladies of Cody held meetings in July and August at the home of Mrs. F.E. Gilmore.
In October 1906. Rev. Nicholas Endres, a native of Belgium, arrived in the Diocese of Cheyenne, and Bishop Keane appointed him parish priest for the entire Big Horn Basin. To reach the Catholics in this mission territory, Father Endres used the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad as far as Worland, but relied on the stagecoach or rode “into the Basin on a smokey bay bronc,” to reach other parts of his parish. On his arrival in Cody, he announced that he would hold services the second Sunday of each month. Lucille Nichols Patrick’s book, The Best Little Town by a Dam Site, states that in 1907, “Father Endres, who made his rounds on that little bronc, still held Catholic Services morning and evening one Sunday each month. While in town, he took up a collection for a building to house the Church. If built, it would be the first such house of worship of this order in the Big Horn Basin. Donations were disappointing, totaling ‘a little over $35,’ but Father Endres was game. He put the money in the pot to be added to each Sunday he came to town.” According to Monsignor John Meyer’s book, Looks Back, Father Endres lived at Mary Reif’s boarding house in Cody until the fall of 1909 when he moved to Thermopolis. During 1909, the town known as Camp Colter, located twenty-three miles north of Cody, officially became Powell. In the fall of 1908, Father Endres had celebrated the first Mass in Powell at the home of Charles E. Robinson, and continued to offer Mass there for two years. On July 20, 1910, the Catholics of Powell erected St. Barbara’s Church, a cottage type, white-framed building, seating 125 and costing $3,500. St. Barbara’s was the first church built in Powell. After Father Endres moved to Thermopolis, the Catholic Directory for 1910 listed the missions of St. Francis Church, Thermopolis, as Basin and Powell, with stations at Cody, Hyattsville, Meeteetse, and Worland.
On August 22, 1907, Bishop James J. Keane, Vicar General Rev. Hugh Cummiskey, Rev. Nicholas J. Endres, John E. Kearns, and William Howard, directors, signed and had notarized Articles of Incorporation for St. Anthony’s Church in Cody. On September 13, the articles were filed in Cheyenne. Lucille Patrick noted that “although the new church building had not materialized, the first Sunday in January of [1909] was celebrated with the Catholic Services being held in Kath Hall.” That year the Presbyterian Church began a building program to become the third church in Cody. Bishop James J. Keane was named Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa, on August 11, 1911. His successor in Cheyenne, Bishop Patrick A. McGovern, was consecrated April 11, 1912. On May 1, 1915, the Catholics of Cody and the Diocese of Cheyenne formed St. Anthony’s Church Corporation with Bishop Patrick A. McGovern, president; Rev. Hugh Cummiskey, Vicar General, vice president; Martin Hurley, secretary; and John Weber, treasurer. From its inception, the corporation members held regular meetings, with proxies for Bishop McGovern and Father Cummiskey. On May 7, the directors discussed building a church in Cody, and agreed on May 15 to build a frame church and to consider bids submitted for a Catholic Church. They accepted the bid of Gus Allen, $2,300, and asked him to take out a builder’s risk insurance until the building was completed and accepted. The contract provided that the structure be completed “within 90 days with a payment of $500 when the foundation was finished and framing material was on the ground and another $500 payment when the outside work was finished and ready for painting.” Built on property purchased at 1082 Sheridan Avenue for $2,000, reportedly the gift of Mrs. Charles DeMaris, the white-framed church, similar to others built during Father Endres’s time in the Big Horn Basin, was completed in the fall at the cost of $3,000, which included $1,000 from the Catholic Extension Society given by Mrs. Murphy of Chicago who requested that the church be named Holy Ghost. For several years, the Catholic Directory listed the missions of Thermopolis as St. Barbara’s Church, Powell; St. Philip’s Church, Basin; and Holy Ghost Church, later called St. Anthony’s, Cody. Father Endres cared for Park, Bighorn, Washakie, and Hot Springs counties until 1919, when Bishop McGovern divided the area into two parishes. With his residence in Thermopolis, Father Endres’s parish was now limited to Hot Springs and Washakie counties. He continued as pastor in Thermopolis until 1933, when he returned to his home in Belgium. Bishop McGovern appointed Rev. Bernard Schneiders pastor of Park and Bighorn counties in February 1919, with St. Barbara’s Church in Powell as his parish, Cody and Lovell as missions, and Meeteetse, Elk Basin, and Deaver as stations. In February 1922, Father Schneider was transferred to Newcastle, Wyoming. Rev. John Spillane came to the Cheyenne diocese from County Kerry, Ireland, in 1920. In February 1922, Bishop McGovern appointed him pastor of St. Barbara’s Church in Powell. In June 1923, St. Barbara’s Church completed a new rectory for which the Catholic Extension Society gave $500. In addition to Powell, Father Spillane took care of Cody, Lovell, Greybull, and Basin. In 1924, Yellowstone Park became a mission of St. Barbara’s, and he arranged to have Sunday Mass said there during July and August. The Catholic Directory for 1925 is the first to list Yellowstone Park as a mission of Powell. In October 1926, Bishop McGovern established a new parish in Greybull, and Lovell became a mission of that parish. This change appeared in The Catholic Directory for 1931, which lists Sacred Heart Church of Greybull with missions at Basin and Lovell. In its early years, the men of St. Anthony’s Church formed the Shamrock Club, a social organization, to assist the church. Catholic ladies, members of the Altar Society, raised funds through various social functions. On April 10, 1923, the trustees of St. Anthony’s Church met to accept the donation of a bell for the church. According to the 1925 census, Powell had 29 Catholic families and Cody had 13. In 1925, the Shamrock Club donated four additional pews, costing $140, to St. Anthony’s. On May 14, 1926, Bishop McGovern held confirmation for ten children at Cody and twenty at Powell, May 16. At the trustees’ meeting on June 2, 1927, the Altar Society contributed $700 dollars toward an addition at the rear of the church for priest’s quarters. On December 30, 1928, the trustees discussed purchasing a new church organ. In May 1932, Bishop McGovern confirmed thirty-nine at Powell and fifteen at Cody. On September 22, 1932, the Powell parish dedicated a new St. Barbara’s Church, seating 275 in the main body and 50 in the choir loft, costing $25,000. When Father Spillane became ill and resigned in September 1936, the trustees of St. Anthony’s Church met on October 26, to examine the parish books in order to provide the parish’s financial status for Rev. Frederick J. Kimmet, newly appointed pastor of St. Barbara’s and its missions. The year’s receipts for St. Anthony’s were $615.86, with expenses of $86.38 and no indebtedness. Father Fred Kimmett had lived in Powell as a boy. Ordained in 1933, he served as assistant in Casper, and then was assigned to Monarch. When he was named to replace Father Spillane in 1936, he returned to his home parish, St. Barbara’s, and its missions of St. Anthony’s in Cody and Yellowstone Park, with stations at Meeteetse and Elk Basin. At their June 10, 1937, meeting, the trustees decided to install plumbing and fixtures in the priest’s quarters at the rear of the church because the Cody city council intended to condemn all outside toilets within the city. By July, the trustees had determined that crowded conditions in the church during tourist season required four more pews. In October, they voted to request bids to redecorate and repaint the interior of the church, to purchase a new vestment case, and to install two floor furnaces. However, the local gas company recommended using the old furnace as cheaper. Rev. P.G. O’Connor, (C.SS.R.) gave a mission in Powell from October 31 to November 7, and in Cody from November 8 to November 14. The financial statement of St. Anthony’s Church at the end of 1937 included receipts of $1,290.71 and expenditures of $1,123.63, including $255.88 to install plumbing. According to the 1938 census, Powell had fifty-three Catholic families and Cody had forty-five, but those figures did not include the more than 100 Catholic boys in the nearby CCC camp or Mexican families working in the beet fields in summer. On May 15, 1938, Bishop McGovern confirmed fifty-six at Powell, including ten from Cody. According to the new summer schedule in 1938, Mass was offered each Sunday at four points in Yellowstone Park: Old Faithful Lodge, Lake Lodge, Canyon Lodge, and Mammoth chapel. In January 1939, after discussing improvements in the church’s heat and ventilation, the trustees agreed to install two windows on each side of the church. By February 27, Father Kimmett reported that Keith Young Plumbing had submitted a plan for a forced-air circulating system which was “guaranteed to give satisfaction for $300.” On January 6, 1940, the trustees learned that the lot and small house adjoining the church property was for sale and would be an ideal location for a parish rectory if a resident pastor was appointed for the parish. Father Kimmett agreed to consult Bishop McGovern while the trustees investigated the cost of the property. Father Kimmett reported on February 7, that Bishop McGovern had expressed the “need for a residence or at least a lot for one as near as possible to the church.” The trustees appointed a committee “to estimate the cost of and obtain a description of the lots immediately back of the church property.” On March 15, Bishop McGovern authorized the corporation to buy the corner lots for $2,500, but indicated he preferred the inside lots back of the church. The Bishop declared that he was anxious to send a resident pastor to Cody as soon as he had enough priests. The trustees agreed to buy the corner lots on April 6, and after the purchase on April 26 sent the deed to Bishop McGovern.
At a meeting of the trustees on October 27, 1940, Father Kimmett read the following statement from Bishop McGovern: “At the request and with the approval of the pastor of Powell, we hereby divide the said parish and create the new parish of Cody,” and then spelled out the specific limits of the Powell parish within Park County. The changed status of St. Anthony’s meant that its financial records were kept separately from those of St. Barbara’s, but Father Kimmett continued to serve as pastor pro tem until January 16, 1944, with a salary of $25 a month and a monthly maintenance fee of $25 to St. Barbara’s Church. In May 1941, the trustees approved a bid of $175 for painting the church. Following the United States’ entry into World War II, the trustees agreed to purchase two $500 U.S. War Bonds for $740 on January 17, 1942. When the tenant renting the house owned by the parish was several months behind in his rent, the trustees notified him that he had to pay the back rent within a month or vacate the property. The summer salary for Rev. Quentin Dittberner O.S.B. of St. John’s Abbey amounted to $120. On October 3, 1942, the trustees discussed needed repairs on the church roof and agreed to pay St. Barbara’s $65 for using the parish car to serve Yellowstone Park. After the trustees examined the parish finances at their February 7, 1943 meeting, they agreed to purchase a $1,000 U.S. War Bond for $740. On May 9, 1943, Father Kimmett reported that the parish could obtain shingles from The O’Malley Lumber Company of Billings and suggested hiring a local carpenter to roof the church. Due to the war, summer Masses in Yellowstone Park were discontinued after 1942 as no salaries are listed for extra priests in 1943, 1944, and 1945. On September 13, 1943, the trustees agreed to the city’s request to install a sidewalk on the east side of parish’s residential property.
On January 9, 1944, St. Anthony’s Church had a balance of $1,293.68 in the First National Bank of Powell, total assets of $2,773.68, with no outstanding debts. At that meeting, Father Kimmett officially notified the trustees that Bishop McGovern had appointed Rev. Francis T. Penny, pastor of St. Anthony’s Church. Father Francis Penny, born June 5, 1909, came to the Wyoming diocese in 1936 after his ordination. He had received his education in Rochester, New York, at Niagara College, and had served as assistant in Casper (1936), Lander (1937), and as field agent for St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Torrington (1938-1944). He took charge of the Cody parish on Sunday, January 16, 1944, resided at St. Barbara’s in Powell, and served both parishes as the appointed administrator while Father Kimmett served as chaplain in the U.S. Army. In addition to parishes in Powell and Cody, Father Penny had charge of Our Lady of the Valley in Clark, Yellowstone Park, and the Japanese Internment Camp near Heart Mountain, the largest town in Wyoming during World War II. While in Powell, Father Penny did learn some Japanese to assist him with the Japanese at the Heart Mountain Internment Camp, but he also had at different times the help of three Maryknoll priests forced from their foreign missions by the war. Rev. Harold J. Felsecker had been at the Catholic Mission in Kyoto, Japan, was repatriated during World War II, and served for a time in the Heart Mountain Camp. Rev. Roy D. Petipren had been ordained in 1925, served at the Catholic Mission, Heijo South, Helando, Chosen; was repatriated on the Gripsholm in 1942; and served for a time at the Heart Mountain Camp. After returning to Korea in 1946, he was airlifted to Japan during the Korean War, and later returned to Korea to work in a POW enclosure, where he was an auxiliary chaplain of the U.S. Army. Father Petipren served in Korea until his death in December 1977. According to information from the Maryknoll Mission Archives, the third priest may have been Rev. William F. Murphy, who was also repatriated on the Gripsholm. From his arrival, Father Penny kept a separate record of weekly announcements for St. Anthony’s. Although not all of those records are available, those which are provide an insight into the operations of the parish, especially during the first years of Father Penny’s administration. With his presence required in both parishes, the Sunday Mass schedule alternated: 10:30 a.m. on the first, third, and fifth Sundays; 8:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Sundays. Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was usually after Sunday Mass. On November 19, Bishop McGovern asked parishes of the diocese to compile a list of all men and women serving in the military. On December 6, 1944, St. Anthony’s Church had nineteen members in the services: three women, one WAC, one WAVE, and one Army Nurse; sixteen men, twelve in the Army, including one killed in action, three in the Navy, and one Marine. Parish activities included regular Altar Society meetings with Saturday bake sales, raffles at local stores, and rummage sales. Due to war-time shortages, the society agreed to return sugar and shortening to those contributing baked goods. Members of the Altar Society received Holy Communion in a body one Sunday each month. Lenten devotions of Stations and Benediction were held on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Even as the parish was involved in raising funds for a future church and rectory, its members were asked to contribute to various special collections, such as poor missions in the United States and overseas, Peter Pence, St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Propagation of the Faith. During this time, Father Penny acquired some knowledge of Japanese. Father Petipan offered Mass in Cody the first three Sundays of July. During 1944, the trustees’ discussions centered on church property. According to the trustees’ financial report in January 1945, the value of church property was $7,600 with no indebtedness; the seating capacity of the church was 125; the parish had bonds and deposits of $14,305. At the trustees’ April 15 meeting, the need for more seating required adding pews and moving the confessional to the front of the church. On September 30, Father Penny proposed that St. Anthony’s Church purchase lots 5 through 16 in Block 7 of the original town of Cody on Rumsey Avenue for $6,500 from Clarence J. and Gertrude M. Linn, and that the property, Lot 24, Block 55, of original town, owned by the church and valued at $3,000 be conveyed to the Linns. The trustees agreed, and on October 19, the parish paid the Linns $3,500. On January 6, 1946, the trustees discussed the need for a parish rectory, and authorized a campaign for funds. A week later, they decided that building a rectory at the time was not practical because of the scarcity of building materials and high labor costs. Instead, they agreed to build an addition to the priest’s living quarters at the back of the church. The Rumsey Avenue church property was leased, and the campaign for funds continued. Beginning the first Sunday in May, the parish had two Sunday masses at 7 and 9 a.m. and confessions from 7 to 8 p.m. on Saturday. During May, Father Penny announced that vacation school would begin June 10, and asked for a collection to cover the expenses. On July 20, Father Penny informed the parish that an anonymous donor had given the statue of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, asked parishioners to pray for the donor’s intentions, and urged them to take novena booklets and begin private novenas to St. Theresa for a new church. When Father Kimmett returned from Army service in August 1946, Father Penny was free to live in Cody, but because visiting priests were living at the church, he lived at the Helms’ residence until September and then moved into the priest’s apartment to save for a future parish plant. In the fall, catechism classes were held on Sunday morning after the 9 a.m. Mass. Rev. Cletus Fitzpatrick O.F.M. from New Jersey conducted a mission for the parish beginning on November 3, with evening devotions at 7:30 p.m. The pastor urged all adults and high school students to attend. The Sunday Mass schedule changed to 8 and 9:30 a.m. in late November. In addition to bake sales, raffles, and rummage sales, the Altar Society began sponsoring dinners; one was held on December 7 at the Cody Auditorium. The pastor commended the ladies’ fund-raising efforts and encouraged the men to help. The parish held a Christmas party for the children of the catechism classes on Saturday, December 21, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the City Library basement. In 1946, the pastor’s salary increased to $30 a month. After Father Penny established his residence in Cody, parish efforts to raise funds for a new church and rectory began in earnest. Lenten devotions were held on Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in 1947. The Altar and Rosary Society sponsored a Fall turkey dinner and an annual St. Patrick’s Day Card Party. On March 18, the men of the parish held an organizational meeting for a Knights of Columbus Council, and on April 27, held an initiation at Powell. The Altar Society put on a fund-raising banquet for the Cody Knights and others from Wyoming and Montana at the Cody Auditorium that evening. A Mothers and Daughters banquet took place on May 9. Bishop McGovern officiated at Confirmation on Wednesday evening, June 11. On July 6, Rev. Alexander McDonald, S.J., celebrated his first Mass at 9 a.m. and afterward gave his blessing to the congregation. A reception from 5 to 7 p.m. for the newly ordained Jesuit took place at the home of Mrs. Monte Jones. Father McDonald’s station was Alma College, Alma, California. The Knights of Columbus began receiving Communion in a body every quarter and gave a picnic for their families on July 27. During the summer, the trustees agreed to purchase a new Chevrolet as the parish car. Bishop Hubert M. Newell was named coadjutor with right of succession for the Diocese of Cheyenne on August 2 and was consecrated September 24. A Church History Class for high school students began in October. The parish held a qet-acquainted party on November 19. The announcement books for October 1947 to April 1950 and for September 1951 to May 1952 are missing. On January 24, 1948, the Altar Society sponsored a pre-Lenten dinner in addition to the annual St. Patrick’s Party in March. The trustees’ financial report for January 1949 listed income of $14,196.53 and expenditures of $5,283.99. The trustees’ report in January 1950 noted income of $18,345.49 and expenditures of $5,908.12. Announcements on May 28, included devotions to Our Lady of Fatima on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. The Annual Turkey Dinner took place on Wednesday, October 25, $2 for adults and $1 for children. On August 8, 1951, the Children’s Choir from St. Francis Church
in Thermopolis sang High Mass at 9:30 a.m. In September, catechism
classes were changed to Saturday mornings. Bishop McGovern died on
November 7, 1951, and was succeeded by Bishop Hubert M. Newell. In January 1952, the trustees added $18,000 to the building fund. At that meeting, Father Penny proposed purchasing a block of city property in the Stock Addition for $10,000, and the plan was approved. According to Father Meyer, the parish paid $15,000 to Paul Stock for the six acres. A local artist and parish member, Edward T. Grigware, worked with the parish committee to design the church, and John K. Monroe from Monroe, Irwin and Dunham of Denver drew up plans for the church and rectory. On May 12, Bishop Hubert Newell sent Father Penny his approval for a June capital campaign for the new church. The St. Anthony’s Church Building Fund issued a brochure about the planned construction including Bishop Newell’s letter; a picture of the present church; Grigware’s sketch of the project; letters from Richard C. Kranz, general campaign chairman, and Father Penny explaining the need to raise $75,000, which together with “funds on hand and other resources will provide sufficient funds to build the type of church and rectory needed.” The brochure included a page of possible memorial gifts for specific items needed to furnish the church and rectory. St. Anthony’s had far out-grown the present church, built in 1915, especially during the influx of tourists each summer which doubled the congregation. On August 8, Father Penny announced that the new architect’s drawing was posted in the vestibule. The Louis B. Welch Construction Company of Cowley, Wyoming, was awarded the contract at a cost of approximately $200,000. On September 21, the announcements included block rosary on Thursday morning. By January 1953, St. Anthony’s Church reported a gross income of $50,330 with expenses of $25,628 and $23,500 added to the building fund. On May 13, by a resolution of the Cody City Council, the alley of the church’s property in the Stock Addition was vacated and closed to public use so the new church could be built there. Ground breaking for the new church took place on June 1. On Tuesdays during July and August, the Oblates of St. Benedict held meetings with Father William Matt, O.S.B. as director. On July 12, the pastor warned that the first payment of $30,000 for the new church was soon due and asked parishioners to pay their pledges. By October 1953, Father Penny and the trustees had arranged to borrow additional funds for the new church: $15,000 from the Diocese of Cheyenne and $35,000 from Bosworth and Sullivan Company of Denver. When the corner stone was laid, it included the following items: a copy of the names of donors, bishop, pastor, contractors, and architect; names of the members of the building and campaign committees; three books: Live the Mass by Rev. Joseph Kramp, This is the Faith by Rev. Francis Ripley, and All God’s Children by Rev. James Keller; a rosary; a medal of St. Benedict; the June 5, 1953, Wyoming Catholic Register; and a bottle of holy water from Lourdes. St. Anthony’s had Lenten devotions on Wednesday and Friday evenings in 1954. During the construction of the new church, Father Penny ordered the following furnishings: fifty pews and folding kneelers, two pew screens, a communion rail, a baptismal font, a bench, and two stools from the Garnett Church Furniture and Manufacturing Company of Garnett, Kansas, on February 20. Cody parishioners took part in a Marian Year Pilgrimage to Worland on June 13. By June 20, the organ fund amounted to $700. On June 27, the parish had to issue passes for the 7 a.m. Mass as the twenty-six members of the First Communion class, their parents, and relatives would fill the church; parish members who had no child in the class were to attend Mass at 6 or 9 a.m. Although Father Penny had asked the Garnett Company to deliver and install the pews after Labor Day (September 6), he received word on October 1 that the pews would not be installed for the dedication. In September, the catechism class schedule was changed: classes held in private homes included first grade, Thursday, 4 p.m.; third grade, Saturday, 9 a.m.; fourth grade, Monday, 4 p.m.; 5th grade, Saturday, 10 a.m. The sixth and seventh grades met Friday, 4 p.m. at the church. Rev. Peter Davitt, a Paulist priest from Layton, Utah, conducted a parish mission, beginning Sunday, September 19. That afternoon the men of the parish met at the new church to help put in the lawn. A new organ was installed on Tuesday, September 21. The ladies of the Altar Society prepared the luncheon for the Bishop and Priests who came for the dedication of the church and confirmation. On Thursday, October 6, Bishop Newell dedicated the new St. Anthony’s Church at 10:30 a.m. and officiated at Confirmation at 7:30 p.m. Although the church had been dedicated, Father Penny announced that Sunday Masses would continue at 7, 8, and 9:30 a.m. until the new church was finished. On October 22, all the church furniture had arrived and been installed for a total cost of $9,279.32. Mass at 8 a.m. and High Mass at 9:30 a.m. were held in the new St. Anthony’s, seating 450, on Sunday, November 7. Forty Hours Devotion took place on December 5, 6, and 7, to mark the close of the Marian Year. The new church held open house on Sunday, December 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. The first parish Christmas party was held in the new church basement on December 19. Square dance classes for the children began in January 1955; the initial response was large enough to divide into two classes: grades 1-3 on Monday evenings and grades 4-8 on Tuesday evenings. A children’s choir for those in grades 5-8 met on Wednesday evenings. On Thursday evening, February 3, Dorothy Day of The Catholic Worker from New York, spoke at St. Anthony’s auditorium. In July 1955, St Anthony’s Church received a check for $2,000 from the estate of Mary Alice Evans, who had left the residue of her estate to tax exempt charities of Cody. The principal business for the parish during 1955 was the sale of the Rumsey Avenue property, which the parish had purchased as a possible site for a rectory in 1945. In a letter to Bishop Newell on July 1, Father Penny proposed selling the property to Husky Oil Company for $14,000, including an agreement to assume the outstanding street assessments of slightly more than $2,000. He pointed out that the parish had invested $4,036 in the property. The Bishop approved the sale on July 7. The will of George F. Bentner left a bond to the church on September 21, 1955. After the new church was completed, Father Penny renovated the old church building as a rectory. An avid hunter and outdoor guide for others, he decorated the rooms with his trophy heads of antelope, deer, elk, bob cats, moose. On the floor were bear heads, both black and brown; the entire pelt and head of a grizzly hung in one corner. The walls showed a number of game birds in flight and at rest. He was always willing to give a visitor an account of his hunts for these trophies. He was also a gun collector and a skilled photographer. But these interests did not interfere with his priestly duties. For many years he served as the diocesan photographer. The financial statement approved by the trustees in January 1956 totaled $76.434. In February, St. Anthony’s Church received $1,000 from the estate of Cora M. Shelley. The death on February 19, 1956, of John F. O’Dea in Ohio provided seed money for the future catechetical center because his will left $10,000 “for the construction and maintenance of a public school for children under the management of the church.” On September 10, St. Anthony’s Church received a check from his estate. At the trustees’ meeting on January 13, 1957, the financial statement was $42,209, and Father Penny announced that the remaining debt on the church had been paid on December 26, 1956. Bishop Newell had returned to Father Penny the paid up note for $15,000 borrowed October 1, 1953, for five years. Since the parish had moved into the church on November 7, 1954, the entire debt had been paid in full. On January 27, 1957, parishioners held a buffet-style dinner to celebrate burning the mortgage. Father Penny, the principal speaker, traced the history of the parish. Bishop Newell had been invited to attend but could not, and congratulated the parish on paying the ten-year bond seven years in advance.
When the architecture firm of Monroe, Irwin and Dunham in Denver drew plans for the church, they also included plans for a rectory. Now that the church debt was paid, Father Penny and the trustees turned their attention toward building the rectory. In August 1958, Father Penny informed the architects that the parish had paid for plans for a rectory with those of the church. Now the parish intended to build the rectory, but the original plans required changes, especially adding a full basement. At the invitation of Bishop Hubert Newell, the Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters had come to Wyoming in September 1953. Bishop Newell planned to have catechetical centers in the five deaneries, and five years later on August 28, 1958, three Victory Noll Sisters arrived in Powell to open their new mission convent. On September 9, they began classes for the Catholic children at St. Anthony’s Church. During the years these Sisters provided religious education in Cody, they often dropped children at their homes along the Powell highway when they returned to St. Barbara’s. St. Anthony’s Church probably began weekly bulletins during the school year in 1959. An examination of these bulletins from January 1959 to December 1971 provides some idea of the various activities taking place in the parish. Annual events included separate nights of recollection for men and women, St. Patrick’s Day card parties, inquiry classes, CCD training classes, carry-in dinners, May processions and crownings, First Communion classes in May, food showers for the Sisters, Thanksgiving clothing drives, Christmas baskets for the needy, annual parish Christmas parties, and for a time monthly parish bridge parties. The parish participated in the following annual collections: Latin America, Catholic University, Peter’s Pence, Propagation of the Faith, Indian and Negro Missions, Bishops’ Relief, and the Campaign for Human Development. St. Anthony’s Altar and Rosary Society met once a month. Its circles sponsored bake and bakeless sales; candy, cookie, and apron sales; rummage sales; and breakfasts and dinners for various groups or meetings. The Knights of Columbus met twice a month, held annual initiations with dinner dances, sponsored a Cub Scout Pack and parish breakfasts. The Catholic Youth Organization, established in 1960, sponsored Halloween parties, hay rides, parish breakfasts, bake sales, and car washes. On January 26, 1959, Father Aloysius Diekemper of Lovell conducted a night of recollection for the men of the parish. Father James Condon of Powell gave a conference for the women of the parish on March 2. Members of the parish were notified of a change in the Holy Week liturgy on March 22: Holy Thursday 7:30 p.m., Good Friday 5:30 p.m., and Holy Saturday 8:00 p.m. On April 22, four lay teachers from Cody received certificates for grade school at St. Barbara’s Catechetical Center in Powell. In August, Father Penny informed Bishop Newell that they had decided to eliminate the second floor of the rectory, due to the terrific wind from the west; with bedrooms in the basement, the second floor was not needed. The Bishop insisted that the basement have an outside exit near the bedrooms to provide a direct escape route in case of fire. On September 18, Father Penny sent the Bishop the general plans and specifications for the rectory, including revisions, for his approval. After receiving the Bishop’s approval, the parish solicited bids for the rectory. Father Daniel Carroll from Powell conducted Forty Hours Devotion November 8, 9, and 10. In November, Bishop Newell presented to the parish an authentic relic of St. Anthony of Padua. On December 29, Father Penny informed Bishop Newell that Corrigan Construction Company of Cody had submitted the low bid for the rectory. He pointed out that Mr. Corrigan, a parishioner, had acted as building inspector during the building of the church but had not bid on the church as too big a project for his company. His company had since expanded, and he intended to use local subcontractors. The parish had more than $49,000 on hand and the potential of $15,000 from selling Park County the old church property, purchased from the Lincoln Land Company in July 1912. The county agreed that the parish could use that property as long as needed. Father Penny, estimating the total cost of the rectory at $76,000, stated that the parish would need to borrow some money to finish the project. St. Anthony’s Church and Corrigan Construction Company signed the contract on January 6, 1960. Two months later, the architects submitted their bill of $2,076 for adjusting the rectory plan; the original plan was for approximately 5,840 square feet, but the new plan was 6,618 square feet. Bishop Newell presided at Confirmation on Wednesday, May 11. Father Penny wrote the bishop on May 23 to request proxy notes from the bishop and the vicar general in order to sell the old church, and the county purchased the church on May 27. High school students met on October 5 to form a CYO. On January 20, 1961, Father Penny informed Monroe, Irwin and Dunham that he had been residing in the new rectory since December 29. On Sunday, February 19, from 1-4 p.m. the parish and friends attended an open house at the new rectory. Father Penny celebrated his silver jubilee with a solemn Mass at 11:00 a.m. on May 17. Christmas cards of St. Anthony’s Church and rectory were sold in December. Women of the parish were urged to attend a meeting on Tuesday evening, January 16, 1962, to organize a group to sing the Requiem Mass for funerals. Father Penny announced on February 18, that parishioners interested in donating a station of the cross should do so before Easter. In April, the trustees spent $1250 for folding doors in the basement of the church, and on May 8, arranged to have the parking area, driveway, and south side parking area surfaced. The parish had forty hours devotion May 13, 14, and 15. Cody hosted the state CYO convention October 5, 6, and 7. The sidewalks around the church were widened in 1963. On April 21, Bishop Newell conferred Confirmation at St. Anthony’s Church at 3 p.m. The NCCW Deanery Meeting was held in Cody, September 24; Sister Mary Joseph from Powell participated in the panel for vocation talks. Father Fred J. Fischer, C.M. of New York conducted a novena in honor of the Miraculous Medal beginning November 17 and closing November 25. The novena schedule included prayers after daily mass and prayers, sermon, and benediction in the evenings. In November, parish women were asked to knit slippers for the children at St. Joseph’s orphanage, and the Altar Society sponsored a collection of toys for St. Stephen’s Indian Mission. Father Penny announced that the church needed donations of a new chalice and ciborium. By December 22, the parish had sent four cases of dolls and toys to St. Stephens and forty-eight pairs of slippers to St. Joseph’s Orphanage. On January 18, 1964, the trustees authorized giving $900 to St. Barbara’s Church toward payment of a 1964 Ford for the use of the Victory Noll Sisters. Although the Sisters resided in Powell, they came to Cody three times a week during the school year for religion classes for elementary children on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and high school students on Wednesday evenings, assisted by lay volunteers. The CYO attended a holy hour given by Father Daniel Carroll of Powell on Sunday, February 2O. On March 24, the trustees agreed to pay Pawnee Supply $2500 for an automatic lawn sprinkler system. The parish began having lay lectors and commentators for Sunday Masses in February 1965. Father Paul Feichter, O.F.M., conducted a parish mission October 3-8. Father Penny was a patient in St. Vincent’s Hospital, Billings, in October and November but returned home early in December. During his illness, Rev. John P. Cody from Highland Falls, New York, served the parish. On February 20, 1966, the trustees authorized the purchase of a lawn tractor from Intermountain Equipment. The parish learned that on Sunday, March 27, parts of the Latin Mass would be said in English. Children of the parish attended class on Friday afternoons to learn the songs of the English Mass. Bishop Newell presided at confirmation on March 14. Catholic women took part in the Madonna Plan Fund, established to assist women and children overseas, in clinics, and homes for unwed mothers. The circles collected contributions or sponsored fund raisers, and the money was sent to the state, which sent it on to the designated place. When the new English Mass went into affect on March 27, the parish needed more men for commentators and lectors. On March 5, 1967, Father Thomas O’Flannigan of Lovell gave an afternoon of recollection for junior and senior high school students. The trustees agreed to place $11,400 in savings. The state convention of the Knights of Columbus took place in Cody on May 6 and 7, with a banquet and dance at the Cody Auditorium on Saturday and a concelebrated Mass at 8 a.m. Sunday. In December parish women packed 1760 pounds of clothing for the Thanksgiving clothing drive.
On April 3, 1968, the trustees met with the building committee to consider bids for the new catechetical center and awarded the contract to Spiegelberg and Son for $109,350. John Tookey of Worland served as architect. The electrical contract amounted to $7,975. On October 6, in order to finish the center, the trustees borrowed money for five years at 5% through the Diocese of Cheyenne. On November 15, the Cody Duplicate Bridge Club held its annual charity game and donated the proceeds to furnish the new catechetical center. The Thanksgiving clothing drive netted 84 boxes of clothing. The financial statement for 1968, reported on January 12, 1969, amounted to $127,069, but the center was not finished. Father Penny announced on January 19 that the new center was almost finished; however, partitions in the rest rooms and thermostats in the classrooms needed to be installed before it could be used. On February 23, he announced religion classes to be held in the new center: Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays; Grades 1, 6, 7, and 8 at 4 p.m. on Thursdays; and Grades 9-12 on Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m. The Cody Duplicate Bridge Club held a benefit game for the church on April 25. The summer schedule began on June 15: in Cody Mass on Saturday evening at 7:30 and Sunday morning at 7 and 9; in Yellowstone beginning on June 22, at Mammoth on Saturday evening at 7:30 and at 6:30 Sunday morning; at Old Faithful Recreation Hall, 9:30 Sunday morning; services at Canyon and Lake Lodge began July 6. Members of the parish could choose one of three proposed schedules for Sunday Masses: 1) as at present 8 and 10 a.m.; 2) 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 9:30 a.m.; or 3) 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday. The parish favored the second choice. St. Anthony’s received word on September 14, 1969, of the July death of Father John Cody, who had served the parish during Father Penny’s illness in 1965-66. On October 10, the trustees authorized a sprinkler system from Pawnee Supply for $1,700 plus $270 for added expenses to the City of Cody. Father Penny announced on October 26 that all Cody churches were participating in the crop program on Halloween night. Money collected in house-to-house collections purchased Park Count beans for shipment to Biafra. The trustees reported on January 17, 1970, that $45,000 was still due on the center. On May 17, a workshop on the new liturgy of the Mass was announced for Greybull on the following Saturday from 10-3. The pastor asked for volunteers on July 20, to plant grass at the catechetical center, and on August 23, thanked the Altar Society for the new carpeting in the church. Members of the Altar Society learned in November that the Madonna Plan proceeds for the year would aid the Victory Noll Sisters in Bolivia. The Thanksgiving Clothing Drive netted 65 boxes of clothing. On January 18, 1971, the trustees reported a balance of $43,679 but did not indicate the amount still due on the center. Father Penny announced on April 11 that the parish needed three lectors and eight ushers for the extra Sunday Mass in the summer. When the Knights of Columbus bingo began on October 10, the sponsors asked parents not to bring pre-school and grade school children. The Madonna Plan for the year supported the work of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Taiwan. Father Penny was in the local hospital in November. The Christmas season Mass schedule was changed: December 24, 11:45 p.m.; December 25 9:30 a.m.; New Year’s Eve, 7:30 p.m.; New Year’s Day, 9:30 a.m. No collection of bulletins for the last years of Father Penny’s pastorship have been found. On January 7, 1972, the trustees reported a balance of $40,317 with $25,000 due on the center. On January 14, 1973, the trustees’ report listed $15,000 due on the center and noted that the parish had received 500 shares of common stock in the Texaco Oil Company from the Paul Stock Estate and were placed in the parish safe deposit box. The value of this stock equaled or exceeded the money the parish paid Paul Stock for the church property in the Stock Addition. At the trustees’ meeting on January 15, 1974, Father Penny reported that the debt on the catechetical center had been retired with a final payment of $15,000. On March 14, Bishop Newell invested Father Penny as a Monsignor, a Prelate of Honor to Pope Paul VI. The January 15, 1975 financial report noted a balance of $59,730 with $25,163 in the total investment schedule, and the January 16, 1976 financial statement amounted to $56,222 with $39,374 in the total investment schedule. At the trustees’ meeting on March 28, Monsignor Penny presented a contract with the Althoff Construction Company of $13,283 for construction of an addition to the parking lot and for excavation and hauling of new top soil for the lawn area in the rear of the rectory. On May 24, Monsignor asked that contracts be awarded to Pawnee Supply for $1,379 for a sprinkler system for the new lawn and $500 to Cody for the hook up; to Becker Masonry for two driveways $875; to Cody Electric for three parking lot lights at $450 each plus labor on electrical work; and for plumbing connections for the change to raw water. On Tuesday evening, May 25, the parish had a special Mass, attended by all the priests of the Big Horn Basin, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Father Penny’s ordination. A carry-in dinner followed. By June 27, the parking lot was finished , and parishioners were asked to leave the spaces in front of the church for visitors. The men of the parish volunteered to plant new lawn on Monday, August 16. On January 16, 1977, the financial report listed total revenue as $54,491 and expenditures as $69,955. At a January 23 meeting of the trustees, Monsignor Penny presented for their approval a proposal from the Knights of Columbus Council that it sponsor a program to replace the present church windows with stained-glass windows made by L and R Studios in Chicago. Under this proposal, the parish would buy and install new bronze aluminum frames at a total cost of approximately $20,000. These windows were Monsignor Penny’s last major project. During the preceding two years due to Monsignor Penny’s failing health, Rev. James Healy S.J. from Weston, Massachusetts, had helped out in the parish, and on May 22, the parish honored him. After serving as pastor of St. Anthony’s for thirty-three and a half years, Monsignor announced he was retiring. Shortly after the arrival of the newly appointed pastor, Monsignor Penny moved to St. Barbara’s rectory in Powell, where he had begun his priestly career in Park county. He said daily mass and the Sunday Evening liturgy until his death.
On May 15, 1977, Bishop Newell announced the appointment of Rev. Charles Brady to replace Monsignor Penny as pastor of St. Anthony’s. The new pastor, born in Crosskeys, County Cavan, Ireland, on February 25, 1924, studied for the priesthood at St. Peter’s College, Wexford, Ireland, and was ordained there on June 5, 1949. He arrived in Wyoming the following October and served parishes in Casper, Rawlins, Gillette, and, as had Monsignor Penny, at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Torrington, before arriving in Cody. Father Brady’s installation took place in July, followed by a dinner for all the priests of the Big Horn Deanery. Details of parish activities for the sixteen years of Father Brady’s tenure in Cody are not available. The only documents still extant are the minutes of the trustees’ meetings. The purpose of the trustees’ meeting on January 15, 1978, was to approve the 1977 financial statement for the period of June 1 to December 31, 1977. The stained glass windows had not yet arrived. On April 18, the trustees met to discuss the purchase of a new organ as the Paul Stock Foundation had given $10,000 for this purpose. The organ at a cost of $15,000 plus the old organ was ordered immediately from the Leo Parsons Music Store in Casper. On May 16, a Mass served as the closing program for all the children enrolled in the catechism classes and their parents. Father Brady determined that the services of the Victory Noll Sisters were no longer needed to conduct the religious education programs; lay teachers from the parish conducted the classes. As a result, only two Sisters were stationed in Powell for the next school years. The May 25 trustees’ meeting dealt with the need for a parish car to use in serving the tourists and the weekend Masses in Yellowstone Park. On June 12, Rev. Joseph Hart from Kansas City, Missouri, was installed as Auxiliary Bishop of the Cheyenne Diocese. On August 3, the trustees approved the purchase of a 1973 Scout International for $3,500 for the parish. The stained glass windows arrived and were installed in late September. When the trustees met on October 8, they agreed to replace the Scout with an LTD Ford and approved the final payment for the newly installed windows. During 1979, the trustees approved loans to two parishes in the diocese. At their October 27 meeting, they agreed to pay $500 for a new lawn mower and $15,000 for painting the roof of the church and rectory. They also discussed purchasing new carpet for the rectory rooms and halls and agreed to solicit bids. On May 1, 1980, the trustees approved payment for the rectory carpet and discussed making further loans to other parishes if requested and approved by the diocese. At their July 20 meeting, they approved the financial statement for the year ending June 30. The parish was in excellent financial condition with over $70,000 loaned to other parishes and $30,000 in six- month money market certificates. In his March 10, 1981 letter to Monsignor McCormick, the Vicar General, Father Brady outlined the need for permission and proxies from Bishop Hart and himself for renovation of the community room in the church basement, including paneling the bathrooms and covering the steel beams, painting, plus carpet and drapes, for $15,000. The trustees had discussed this renovation at their annual meeting on March 1. On June 16, the trustees met to approve payment for the renovation of the community room and to discuss the purchase of a house as a future convent. Father Brady agreed to contact certain religious communities about obtaining the assistance of a Sister to head the CCD program. Father Brady considered it essential that the parish have a convent and asked members to watch for a nice inexpensive residence. On November 30, the parish received approval from the diocese to purchase the house at 714 Platinum Drive for $37,500. In March 1981, the Park County commissioners notified St. Anthony’s parish that the old church was going to be abandoned to allow expansion of the county buildings on the Sheridan Avenue property, and the parish purchased it for $1 on March 23. The Knights of Columbus were not interested in it as a possible club room. Because the old church had so much historical and sentimental value, Father Brady believed it could be moved to Meeteetse and encouraged St. Anthony’s parishioners and Catholics in Meeteetse to plan for such a move. The final approval for the purchase of a residence on Platinum Drive occurred at the February 1, 1982 meeting of the trustees. Father Brady indicated that it might be necessary to visit the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dubuque, Iowa, because a Sister from there was interested in coming to Cody. The parish purchased two lots, near state highway 120 at the east entrance to Meeteetse, from Elizabeth Jensen for $2,763 on May 13. Meeting on July 12, the trustees inspected and approved the parish financial statement for July 1981-June 1982. Father Brady interviewed Sister Mary Irenae Burns, B.V.M. in June, and she arrived in Cody on July 30, took up residence in the convent, and began her ministry responsibilities. During her years in Cody, Sister not only directed and coordinated the religious education programs and the sacramental preparation and reception for grades 1-12, she also recruited and trained faculty for grades 1-12, and extended her ministry to Meeteetse on a monthly basis. She trained the faculty for certification, served as facilitator for the Renew Program, managed the hospitality arrangements for overnight visitors at the Center, and served the local, deanery, and state CCW with prayer services and days of reflection. During her years in Cody, Sister Mary Irenae recalled the following annual events: St. Patrick’s Day card parties, inquiry classes, CCD training classes, May processions and crownings, First Communion classes, Christmas baskets for the needed, annual parish Christmas parties, regular meetings of the Altar and Rosary Society, the Knights of Columbus, the CYO, parish breakfasts and picnics, the CCW Fall luncheon and fashion show, various parish dinners, and collections for worthy causes, and JOY for middle school students. CCD teachers and helpers from Cody attended a CCD Workshop on November 6, 1982, in Powell, hosted by the Victory Noll Sisters. At their annual meeting on January 17, 1983, the trustees discussed the state of the parish and its finances before turning to the following proposed projects: two additional classrooms for the catechetical center and renovation of the church sanctuary. A long standing fund from the 1970s had been established to erect a marble altar. On February 5, the Sisters from Powell gave a Teachers’ Training Workshop for teachers and helpers from Cody and Powell at St. Anthony’s Catechetical Center. The Knights of Columbus sponsored a pancake supper on March 20 at which Sister Mary Irenae gave a vocation talk. On July 27, the trustees approved the past year’s financial statement. In August, Sister Mary Norella Vennix, B.V.M., who had visited Cody during Christmas 1982, arrived to assist Sister Mary Irenae in the parish. She became the sixth grade religion teacher, took on special education as needed, prepared the First Communion classes, served as eucharistic minister, did outstanding service as the chaplain for West Park County Hospital and Nursing Home, and made home visits. On December 10, the trustees met to reelect trustees for one year or until July 1, 1984, when all parish trustees would be elected for two year terms. During this meeting, they were informed that plans for the two new classrooms, based on the original plans for the center, had been submitted to the Diocesan Building Committee for approval. The parish had the necessary funds for the project. Father Brady received proxies from Bishop Hart and Monsignor O’Neill, the Vicar General, approving $75,000 for construction of the two classrooms on May 15, 1984. Five days later, the trustees met for their annual meeting and debated whether the center addition should be two classrooms or one classroom and a meeting room with a place for storage. After approving the cost of the addition, the trustees agreed to award as many bids as possible to members of the parish. Two parishioners associated with construction oversaw the building. Regarding the renovation of the sanctuary, Father Brady agreed to contact M. Gerken at Daleiden’s Church Goods in Denver about plans and ideas for the marble altar. On June 15, the parishioners of St. Anthony’s and citizens of Cody learned of the death of Monsignor Francis Penny, the first pastor of St. Anthony’s, who was born June 4, 1909, ordained June 4, 1936, named pastor of St. Anthony’s on January 16, 1944. Although he died in Powell, his funeral was held at St. Anthony’s Church on June 20. Bishop Joseph Hart was the principal celebrant of the funeral mass on June 19, attended by retired Bishop Hubert Newell and thirty-four of the fifty-two Wyoming priests. In his homily, Bishop Hart said Monsignor Penny “was good at what he did” in his role as a priest, as well as in his hobbies and other interests. The Catholics in West Park County remember Monsignor Penny as the builder of St. Anthony’s, as a dedicated outdoors man, as a gifted linguist, as a skilled photographer, but above all as a scholarly and zealous priest. After the funeral, which was attended by many friends from Cody and Powell, Monsignor Penny was buried near the entrance gate of Riverside Cemetery in Cody. On July 15, two trustees were elected for two-year terms. As construction at the center was underway, they approved payment to various contractors, discussed renovation of the sanctuary, and approved the parish financial statement for the year. On September 24, after a report on the final inspection of the new classrooms, the trustees approved payment of all bills; the total cost of the addition was $60,900. On April 20, 1985, the trustees discussed the sanctuary renovation, presented by John Leonetti and estimated at $27,000. Father Brady said Bishop Hart had approved somewhat reluctantly. They also agreed to seek the Bishop’s permission to remove and move the old St. Anthony’s Church to Meeteetse when the county would permit it and would seek bids on the removal. Father Brady received proxies on July 19, from the Bishop and the Vicar General to spend $20,000 for moving and renovating the old church to establish a mission church for Meeteetse. Bishop Hart sent congratulations about the forthcoming new church in Meeteetse, as did Monsignor Etchingham, who suggested the name of the new church not repeat a name already in the diocesan directory. At their annual meeting on July 25, the trustees approved payment of all bills for the completed sanctuary renovation which included the marble altar, baptismal font, podium, balancing marble shelves and credence table. Mahogany paneling was added to the back drop of the main altar and the sides of the sanctuary. The total renovation cost $34,000. When the trustees examined definite bids for moving the old church to Meeteetse in 1985, Father Brady recommended the Fremont House Movers of Lander for $8,000 since the local Cody bid required moving the building in two parts. On October 29, he obtained proxies to spend $10,000 for the move. On October 29, the great move took place. Moving such a large building through town and over such a distance captured the attention of the citizens. The cooperation of both city and county employees was needed to manage the intricate and precise turns as the church made its way up 11th Street Hill, along Skyline Drive, and for more than thirty-miles to Meeteetse. The Cody Enterprise for October 30 included a photograph of the old church going up the Southfork hill. On December 20, Father Brady received proxies to spend $7,500 for a new roof and repairs to the convent. In April 1986, Sister Mary Norella returned to Chicago for health reasons. At their annual meeting on July 27, the trustees approved the financial statement for the past year. Following a report on the progress of work at St. Theresa’s Church in Meeteetse, the trustees worked on plans for its dedication and asked Bishop Hart for an acceptable date. Work at St. Theresa’s Church was the main concern of the trustees meeting on January 15, when they approved payment of various bills. Word reached the parish of the death of Sister Mary Norella Vennix on February 20, 1987. With Bishop Hart’s approval, the Meeteetse dedication was planned near Memorial Day, and invitations were sent to all the priests and old time parishioners. Plans included a picnic on the occasion. The trustees approved the parish financial statements on August 19, 1987, and on July 20, 1988. The City of Cody notified St. Anthony’s on July 21 that construction of the Stock Addition Sewer Improvement District would begin sometime during the 1989 construction season. Following its construction, the church plants and residences in the area would have until 1999 to abandon individual septic systems and connect to the new sewer. During the devastating fires in Yellowstone Park in August and September, Father Brady often went to the park to say Mass for the fire fighters at 10 or 10:30 p.m., sometimes by helicopter. After receiving proxies from the Bishop and the Vicar General, the trustees at Father Brady’s request, on February 28, 1989, approved the purchase of two cars: a white 1988 Dodge Shadow for $7,295 and a blue dodge Shadow for $7,495, for the CCD coordinator and the other for the priest helping at Yellowstone Park during the summer months. No date is given for their meeting in 1989, when the trustees agreed to buy a 1986 Chevy van and a 1974 Dodge bus. Father Brady celebrated the 40th anniversary of his ordination in June 1989. Many of his fellow priests, together with people from the areas of Wyoming where he had served, joined him for the celebration during which he declared, “Priests are ordained to bring the truth to people.” At their August 2 meeting, the trustees approved the financial statement for the past year. They were informed that all parochial matters would now be discussed by the Parish Council; therefore, such discussions were unnecessary in the corporation meetings, but the trustees should try to attend all Parish Councils meetings. The pastor advised that when large sums were to be spent, corporations meetings had to be held to discuss and approve such expenditures. At the end of the 1990 school year, Sister Mary Irenae Burns left her position as Director and coordinator of religious education at St. Anthony’s. She returned to the B.V.M. Motherhouse in Dubuque after serving the parish for eight years. The trustees met and approved the financial statement for the past year on July 18, 1990. On February 23, 1991, St. Barbara’s Church gave a farewell reception for the Victory Noll Sisters, who had served at St. Barbara’s from 1958, thirty-two and a half years, and had taught in Cody from 1958 to 1981, twenty-three years. On March 31, the two remaining Sisters left by plane for their motherhouse in Huntington, Indiana. On April 8, the trustees considered and approved numerous expenses involved in connecting the parish plants to the new city sewer, installed along Monument Drive and Sunset Boulevard, for approximately $30,000, as well as minor expenses related to the convent and the church in Meeteetse. At a joint meeting of the trustees and the parish council on July 23, Father Brady outlined the following parish administration and procedures during his twelve-week sabbatical leave: Father Francis Norbert Maguire, retired U.S. Army Chaplain, from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, would be in the parish from August 10 to December 11; trustees received additional financial power for the twelve weeks and would sign checks for current bills; the parish secretary, Leslie Hanson, would make out the checks, keep the books, and make bank deposits. The trustees were asked to represent the parish at the Cody City Council meetings in reference to errors made on the new sewer line serving the church building. The city-laid sewer pipe was three feet too shallow for the line from the church, making it necessary to install a pump in the church basement. The church’s attorney had already spoken to the Mayor about this problem. The next item of business involved preparations for Bishop Hart’s official visit on Tuesday, October 22, which required his transportation from Powell to Cody and his return to Cheyenne. The Bishop intended to meet separately with all parish organizations: Knights of Columbus, CCW, Catholic School committee, the Parish Council, and to visit the religion classes to meet the teachers and students. After Mass at 6 p.m. for the parish, the visit ended with carry-in supper and a town-hall type meeting for questions from parishioners. Father Brady named two parishioners to coordinate the bishop’s visit. Finally, Father Brady explained the Diocesan Synod to be formed in May/June 1993. Registration for the synod was scheduled for Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 28. All adults were to be asked to give names, addresses, phone numbers, and their preferences of day and time for eight monthly small group meetings. On August 20, the trustees met to approve the financial statement and to finalize preparations for Bishop Hart’s Pastoral Visit. On learning he had incurable cancer in late December 1992, Father Charles Brady decided to return to his home in Crosskeys, Ireland. Because of Father Brady’s impending departure, the trustees met on January 14, 1993, to check and approve the parish financial statement, to check the St. Anthony’s Catholic School Support Fund, and to examine and check parish investments. The parish checking account amounted to $21,335 as of December 31, 1992. On January 15, St. Anthony’s parishioners and numerous priests attended a farewell Mass offered by Bishop Hart for Father Brady on January 15. In a tribute to the departing pastor, the many people attending made it necessary for some to listen to the service in the church basement. Accompanied by his niece, he left for New York the following day. Shortly after he flew to Ireland, where he died in the Crosskeys hospital on Thursday, February 4, 1993.
Bishop Hart appointed Rev. Kevin Koch as temporary pastor. On his arrival, he was greeted with the aftermath of a December flood in the rectory. During Father Brady’s illness, water pipes in the rectory had broken, but the trustees had delayed extensive repairs. The full extent of the damage was explained at a parish council meeting, February 7. The water breaks in the rectory kitchen on December 16 and December 19 flooded not only the kitchen, dining room, and hallway, but also the bedrooms in the basement; all needed repair. Carpeting had to be replaced, holes in the walls of the pastor’s bedroom had to be repaired, the bathroom had leaks and broken tiles, the office and conference room floor tiles had come up, the walls in the copying room needed repair, the bedroom and bath in the basement had ceiling, tile, and woodwork damage, the entire rectory needed repainting, the floor in the kitchen and back hall and the refrigerator needed replacing. The cost estimate for all repairs was approximately $16,000. Father Koch reported to Bishop Hart on February 9, that insurance had covered $7,557, but the rectory needed more extensive repairs. He asked for proxies for $18,000 from the bishop and vicar general so he could have the work completed and move in. The parish had sufficient finds for all repairs. The trustees met on February 4, 1992, to check and approve paying a total of $8,889. At their April 9 meeting, the trustees faced decisions about the appraisals of the Molsworth furniture and the Navajo rugs from the rectory. They decided to sell the furniture and rugs, retaining a few rugs in memory of Monsignor Penny, which are marked and hang in the halls of the rectory. Money from the sale was put in a trust fund account. They approved concrete work on the south side of the church and the sidewalks connecting the front doors and sides on the north. During his brief stay, Father Koch arranged replacing the public address system in the church, revitalized the lawns, and repaired the sprinkler system. No minutes exist for the July 14 corporation meeting, the last meeting attended by interim pastor, Father Kevin Koch.
In early September 1993, Rev. Joseph Daley, former pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Buffalo, Wyoming, arrived as pastor of St. Anthony’s. Father Daley was born in southern New Jersey, educated at St. Rose of Lima School, Bishop Eustace Preparatory High School in New Jersey, and St. Joseph’s Seminary, Washington, D.C. Ordained on April 20, 1968, he was the first priest in New Jersey ordained in his home parish because of the ordination changes due to Vatican II. After ordination, he taught at Bishop Eustace Preparatory High School for three years, then served six years at the University of Maryland Institute for Emergency Medicine, before coming to the Diocese of Cheyenne. Father Daley served as associate pastor at St. Anthony, Casper; St. Lawrence, Laramie; and Holy Name, Sheridan; and as pastor of Corpus Christi, Newcastle; Holy Rosary, Lander; and St. John the Baptist, Buffalo. The following parish activities have taken place since Father Daley’s arrival: RICA classes, Knights of Columbus parish breakfasts, parish picnics, CCW Fall Luncheons and Fashion Shows, Adults International Dinners, other parish dinners, the CYO Christmas Giving Trees, Baptism Preparation Classes, parish Christmas parties, collections for the needy, Lenten Fish Fries and Friday Soup Suppers, remembrance anniversaries of marriage, and various collections for Peter’s Pence, St. Joseph’s Home, Bishops Relief, foreign missions, etc. The CYO continued for the high school students, JOY was formed for middle school students, the CCW, its circles, and the Knights of Columbus met regularly. St. Anthony’s Pre-School continued operating during the school year. Meeting with the trustees on March 1, 1994, Father Daley detailed the condition of the parish plant, emphasizing the improvements needed to bring it up to insurance and safety codes, because the parish plant had failed insurance inspections in 1991 and 1993. Father Koch had begun repairs in Spring 1993, and Father Daley needed to continue them. He outlined the improvements needed in 1994: replacement of the roof, repair and painting of the trim on the parish plant, and repair of the stained-glass windows. He also cited the necessity of forming a finance committee. The revitalized Parish Council met monthly to set goals for parish life. Bishop Hart officiated at Confirmation on May 13 at 7 p.m. A Vacation Bible School for grades K-6th was held June 20-24. The repair and reinstallation of the stained glass windows, with safety glass as protection from the wind, was completed November 21 at a cost of $15,000. Two Jesuits from Regis University, Denver, came for Mass: Rev. Joseph Bona, S.J., November 19 and 20; Rev. William Miller, S.J., November 26 and 27. During 1995, the first group of CYO Rome Pilgrims began fund raising activities toward traveling to Rome for Holy Week in 1996. On March 14, 1995, the trustees met to review the parish, its finances, repairs, and up keep. Much needed repairs had been made and were appreciated, but it was necessary to increase parish revenue. The church at Meeteetse needed new siding because of water damage. In July volunteers painted the trim on the center. Due to new diocesan guidelines, Father Daley announced that the trustees would no longer meet quarterly but yearly. At their meeting on October 6, the trustees reviewed the financial statement and with the finance committee asked the diocese to revise the annual report to coincide with CPA standards. The parish plant now met required standards, but the condition of the boiler was a concern. The trustees agreed to repair the parking lot in 1996, and to sell the convent, currently rented, if the renter moved. In October, Bishop Hart made a pastoral visit for a general review of the parish. In February, 1996, the tabernacle was relocated to the north alcove to comply with Bishop Hart’s wishes. Three chairs for the celebrant and servers replaced the marble altar that had held the tabernacle. The statue of St. Anthony, the patron of the parish, replaced the Blessed Virgin in the south alcove. During the year, the CYO Pilgrims for 1998 began fund raising while the 1996 Pilgrims made final preparation for their departure. According to word received in March, the NBC “Today Show” agreed to follow the pilgrims on their Rome tour. Father Daley and the Rome ‘96 group left from Billings on March 28, arrived in Rome on March 30, attended services in Rome on Palm Sunday, Tuesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. They took a side trip to Assisi on Monday, April 1; attended a general audience with Pope John Paul on Wednesday, April 3; and appeared live on the “Today Show” on Good Friday. After a day in New York, they returned to Billings the night of April 9. The trustees met on April 11, 1996, to discuss three points. With proxies from Bishop Hart and Rev. Eugene Sullivan, they agreed to sell the old convent. As they had at past meetings, they approved a loan to another Wyoming parish. Monsignor Frederick Kimmett died in April at the Little Sisters of the Poor Manor in Denver; Bishop Hart officiated at his funeral in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Cheyenne, on April 11. Confirmation took place at St. Anthony’s on Sunday, May 12. At Bishop Hart’s request by July 1, 1996, the trustees of the parish would be a man and a woman. On July 17, trustees were elected for two-year terms, and on August 1, they agreed to begin a retirement program for the parish’s lay employees. From September 22 to November 3, the need raise more than $100,000 to repair the parking lot, to remove asbestos from heating pipes, and to replace the heating system was explained to the parish. Shortly before Christmas the boiler failed. Father Daley used every means possible to have a new one installed and working in time for the Christmas Masses. Parishioners had an opportunity to view the remnants of the old boiler during the holidays. Beginning in 1996, Sister Valerie McGeough from Billings Central High School came each year to Cody for a College Preparation Seminar to introduce high school students to possible Catholic universities and colleges. By January 12, 1997, the fund for repairs had reached the halfway mark. A special meeting of the trustees was held on January 14, to approve paying $14,750 for the new boiler. St. Anthony’s hosted a Music Liturgy Workshop on Saturday, April 26. Cody and St. Anthony’s hosted the Wyoming CCW Convention on April 27 and 28. The Knights of Columbus donated a new stove to the church kitchen. Confirmation was held on May 18 at the 9:30 Mass. By May 25, the repair fund had reached $70,000; the total needed was S116,000. Father Alan Sheible, O.Praem., conducted a Parish Retreat, October 5-9, the last retreat had been in 1994. Early in January, 1998, the CYO Rome Pilgrims 2000 began fund raising. Adults interested in traveling with the Rome 2000 group were asked to call the rectory. On March 11, the trustees met to discuss and approve funds needed to repair the church parking lots, to remove asbestos from the heating system, and to repipe the church heating system. The Rome Pilgrims ‘98 departed from Billings on Friday, April 3, and arrived in Rome, April 4. They attended services in St. Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday; in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday; at St. Peter’s on Tuesday, Holy Thursday, and Good Friday; and in St. Peter’s Square on Easter. They were present at a general audience with Pope John Paul on Wednesday, April 8. The group returned to Billings the evening of April 13. A parish web site on the Internet, containing the bulletin and information about Masses in Yellowstone, went on-line in late Spring. The thirty-seven members of the Children’s Choir from St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco, touring through the Western states, gave a concert at St. Anthony’s on June 18 at 7:30 p.m. On September 16, the trustees met with the finance committee to review the financial statement to the diocese and to discuss the Stewardship Program and the approaching Diocesan Capital Campaign. Although the members supported the stewardship campaign and hoped to increase parish participation, using time and talent, and increasing collections, they were opposed to a diocesan fund drive because of the depressed state economy, especially the decreased oil and farming incomes in Park County. On Saturday, October 3, Sister Valerie from Billings gave a retreat “Praying with Scripture” for women at the NWCC camp. Late in the year, parishioners were asked to consider establishing the Angels of Mercy, a prayer and visitation group to assist the sick of the parish and others. The parish ministry team, one of the largest in the Cheyenne Diocese, takes communion weekly to the hospital, nursing home, and to the home bound. When Father Daley suffered a heart attack in December, the parish shared the difficulties facing the Cheyenne diocese, which had few priests and several on the sick list. Father Daley made a special effort to say Mass at Christmas. Father Ambrose Peters, O.Praem., came in January 1999 for a six-month stay. On April 28, Bishop Hart visited the parish to explain the diocesan Legacy 2000 Campaign. Confirmation took place on Sunday, May 23. The CYO Rome 2000 Pilgrims continued their fund raising. In late June, the parish first heard the new carillon, an anonymous gift to the church. Parishioners learned that different cassettes were available as memorials through the church office. The old bell, a gift to the old St. Anthony’s Church in April 1923, was returned to its original home when it was installed at St. Theresa’s Church in Meeteetse.
The Catholic Church Extension Society has played a vital part in the development of the Church in Wyoming by providing funds for education of students for the priesthood, building and renovation of chapels, mass intentions for diocesan priests, subsidies for poor priests, and donating church furnishings and supplies. During the first twenty-five years of its existence, the Society contributed $37,547.27 to the Cheyenne Diocese. The Society’s total contribution had reached $138,958.70 by July 1952. The Society’s early funds benefited not only Cody and Powell but also other towns in the Big Horn Basin which came under Father Endres’ care. In addition to providing subsidies for priests in poor parishes, the Society sent money as “Christmas Pie” and “Easter Egg Gifts” to the Bishop to use as gifts for needy priests. Writing on the missionary church in Wyoming in the Catholic Extension magazine in May 1997, Bishop Joseph Hart declared: “We are not poor (in the individual sense), but because there are so few of us we do not have the means to take care of our programs and problems without outside help from people like the Catholic Church Extension Society. In fact, I do not know what we would do without you. . . . I do not believe we have a church in Wyoming that has not been assisted by Catholic Extension. Without this aid, many of these smaller communities simply would have no church in which our Catholic people could worship. Two of our more unusual parishes are in Cody and Jackson, where the pastors also take care of the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. . . . The priests, religious and people of Wyoming and I will forever be grateful to the Society’s Board and its many donors for your constant and consistent support for the mission Church here.”
The following Benedictine priests from St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, came to assist at Powell, Cody, and Yellowstone: June 24-September 4, 1939, Rev. Conrad Diekmann; June 21-September 1, 1940, Rev. Linus Schieffer and Rev. Arthur Danzl; summer 1941, Rev. Pirmin Wendt and Rev. Osmund Jacobs; summer 1942, Rev. Arnold Dittberner. After WWII, these priests served in Cody: Rev. Casper Keogh and Rev. Raphael Haller during the 1948 summer, and Rev. Gregory Roettger, Rev. Vincent Tegeder, and Rev. Walbert Kalinowski in the 1949 summer. From 1939-1941, the Benedictines served from St. Barbara’s in Powell. The former archivist, Father Vincent Tegeder noted: “The places where mass was offered in the Park: Lake Lodge, Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone Canyon Hotel, and West Yellowstone on Sundays and in Cody. Father Penny was very hospitable and saw to it that we could visit Sunlight Valley, neighboring ranches, Cooke City, Kalispell, and Butte. Father Gregory also instructed a convert, Father Vincent offered a convocation prayer at the rededication of the notable Buffalo Bill Statue on July 4, 1949. The tourists on Sunday often contributed $600 in silver dollars in the collection, happy to rid their pickets of this weight.” Priests from St. Benedict’s Abby in Atchison, Kansas, provided summer assistance to Father Penny from 1950 to 1961: Rev. Sylvester Schmitz, Rev. Arthur Sullivan, and Rev. Conrad Pillar in 1950; Rev. Bede Bradley, Rev Agatho Flading, and Rev. Malachy Sullivan in 1951; Rev. Paschal Pretz, Rev. John Gruber, and Rev. Basil Finken in 1952; Rev. William Matt, Rev. Eugene Dehner, Rev. Paschal Pretz, and Rev. Regis Hickey in 1953; Rev. Ortho Sullivan and Rev. Venard Helget in 1954; Rev. Bede Bradley and Rev. Otho Sullivan in 1955; Rev. Eugene Dehner, Rev. Wilfred Fangman, and Rev. Charles Asiere in 1956; Rev. Otho Sullivan and Rev. Agatho Fladings in 1957; Rev. Gerard Senecal and Rev. Lucien Senecal in 1958; Rev. Peter Beckman in 1959; Rev. Cletus Kohake and Rev. Lambert Dehner in 1960; and Rev. Arthur Sullivan and Rev. Lambert Dehner in 1961. Sunday Masses in Yellowstone Park were at 6 a.m. at Canyon and Old Faithful and at 9 a.m. at Lake and Mammoth. Father Eugene Dehner is still living and wrote of his experiences in 1953: “I was at Cody from July 18 to September 8 . . . I remember that we had a congregation of 350 or more people at Mass in Old Faithful in the mid-summer. I also remember that the collections bags we took back to Cody on Sunday were heavy [with] silver dollars.” In 1956 he met a professor from Princeton who studied shale fossil beds on the bluffs of the Yellowstone River. Father Penny took the visiting priests to Laramie and to Pinedale in July and to the Collins Ranch near Gillette in August and then out to Washington where Father Penny photographed Mount Rainier. Benedictine Priests from St. Meinrad’s Archabbey, St. Meinrad, Indiana, provided assistance to Father Penny from 1962 to 1968. The only name in the records at St. Anthony’s Church is Rev. Vincent Tobin. Unfortunately, the Archives at St. Meinrad do not have any records of summer assignments in Cody. Father Simon McTighe, O.S.B. with the aid of three priests compiled the following list of Benedictines: Fathers Donald Walpole, Bartholomew Fuerst, Xavier Maudlin, Camillus Ellspermann, Joseph Mort, Hugh Dewig, Augustine Davis, and Damian Schmelz, but could not say when these priests were in Cody. In 1969 and 1970, the summer assistants were Jesuits from New York: Rev. Ralph Dengler, Rev. Robert Lynch, Rev. James Ring, and Rev. Anthony J. Eiardi. [N.B. The financial records from 1971-June 1977 have not been found or for the years of Father Brady’s tenure.]
If there were religious vacation schools prior to 1944, Cody has no record of them. According to the records at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas, Sisters Rose Teresa McHale and Mary Phillippa Rock, from Butte, Montana, conducted religious vacation school in Cody for nine boys and three girls, June 12-18, 1944, from 2-4:30 p.m. This vacation school and all those which followed concluded with the celebration of First Communion until the final one in 1957. These Sisters also held religious vacations schools at Heart Mountain Internment Camp, June 5-11, for twenty boys and ten girls, and at Powell, June 5-18, for thirty-four boys and thirty-three girls. In June 1945, Sisters Mary Philippa Rock and Mary Vincentine Gripkey provided religious vacation schools in Cody for eighteen boys and twelve girls from 1:45-4 p.m.; at Powell from June 4-17, for forty-four boys and fifty girls from 9 a.m. to noon; and at Heart Mountain from June 4-10, for twenty-eight boys and fifty-one girls from 1:30-5 p.m. In June 1946, Sisters Mary Raymond Hanratty and Marianna DeTarr had classes in Cody from 9 to 3 for twenty-four boys and eleven girls from June 6-14, and in Powell from 9 to 3:30 for forty-four boys and thirty-six girls. In June 1947, Sisters Mary Ellenice Colvin and Teresa Marie McCaffrey held religious vacation school in Cody for two weeks. At the same time, two other Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth had vacation school in Powell. Two Corpus Christi Carmelite Sisters from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Sisters Wilhelmina and Monica, came for vacation schools in Cody and Powell in June 1948. According to information received from Scottsbluff, the vacation school sessions were held both morning and afternoon and included Mass. The classes were divided into two sections -- grades 1-3 and 4-8 -- and were held either inside the church or outside along the church walls. In June 1949, Sisters Mary Vivia Cranny and Mary William Allen, Sisters of the Presentation from Dubuque, Iowa, came to St. Anthony’s for the religious vacation school because Sister Mary William’s sister and her husband, Bob and Ruth Brand, were members of St. Anthony’s parish. Enrolled for that summer session were 33 boys and 41 girls; seven boys and nine girls received their First Holy Communion. Sisters Wilhelmina and Teresa Albert, Carmelite Sisters from Scottsbluff, returned for religious vacation school in June 1950. In late May 1951, Sisters Wilhelmina and Pascualita from Scottsbluff held religious vacation school. According to Father Penny’s financial records, Sister Wilhelmina and another Sister also came in May/June 1952. Sisters Teresa Michael and Pascualita from Scottsbluff conducted vacation school in May/June 1953. In May 1954, Father Penny wrote to the Motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, asking that two Sisters come to Cody for vacation school. On June 14, 1954, Sister Susanna Neubauer and Sister Theonilla Kopp, Dominican Sisters from Denver, opened vacation school. Records in the archives at Sinsinawa indicate that the Sisters resided at the home of Mr. W. Felsheim. Forty-seven boys and fifty-three girls participated in the two-week session of classes held in the local public school after the first day. Three children were baptized, twenty-six received First Communion, and twenty-two attended Confirmation class. Sisters Theonilla and Sylvester Cummings, conducted vacation school from June 20 to July 3, 1955. The classes were held in the basement of the new church. Father Penny had not asked to use the school because of ill feeling among the school board against Catholics. Two children were baptized, twenty-six received First communion, and a total of 104 attended the school, including several non-Catholics. Due to the late time of the school, many of the advanced students involved in swimming classes and baseball could not attend all the classes. In 1956, the vacation school took place from June 11 to 22, with Sisters Eucharia Harrington and Sylvester in charge. A total of 103 pupils registered, forty-six boys and fifty-seven girls; twenty-seven received First Communion, and a Methodist girl attended that class. The final vacation school conducted by Dominican Sisters Andrienne Downey and Eucharia took place from June 17 to June 28, 1957. One hundred nine pupils registered, twenty-eight made their First Communion. In their report to Sinsinawa, the Sisters indicated that the Victory Noll Sisters were opening a catechetical center in Powell, and those Sisters plan to take over religious instruction during the regular school year in Cody, Lovell, and Powell. Most of the Sisters who taught in these vacation schools have died. However, the former Sister Sylvester, who returned to her baptismal name of Sister Elizabeth, was still active at Sinsinawa in 1998, and Sister Susanna died in 1997 at 102.
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